The Tell-Tale Heart
by muzacgurl4ever
Summary: This is immediately after "About Last Night." My take on what comes next...What will happen when Vincent is arrested for murder and Catherine is left searching for answers? Where will this journey lead them and what are they willing to risk to be together again?
1. Chapter 1: Locking Up My Heart

**The Tell-Tale Heart**

Summary: This is immediately after "About Last Night." Just my take of what will happen next…Enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN THE CHARACTERS OR THE SHOW OR THE EPISODE. JUST BORROWING THEM. **

**Chapter One: Locking Up My Heart **

_Man and Beast; _

_You cage one and they may become an animal. _

_If you cage the other, do they then become a man?_

_And if one were both, what would become of him?_

"_Vincent Keller you are under arrest for the murder of Curt Windsor. You have the right to remain silent…"_ Those words played over and over in Catherine's mind as she stood there frozen in her apartment holding the warrant in her shaking hand. His eyes looking back at her pleading for an explanation. His words_, "Why is this happening?"_ She herself didn't know. He said he'd be fine as they took him away and shut the door. But Catherine knew he wouldn't. Whoever did this wanted him locked up for a reason. And it wasn't for justice…

Catherine shook herself out of the shock, grabbed her coat, keys and cell phone and raced down the stairs of her apartment building. She needed answers and she was willing to do whatever it took to get them.

It was still early but the city outside never stopped. Catherine pushed open the front entrance and ran up to the detective in charge. He and another officer were forcing Vincent into the back of the squad car. Something she herself had done many times to suspects and criminals, but seeing it done to him was a pain she never wanted to experience.

"He can't be taken in." Catherine pleaded to the detective. She turned her head to Vincent. His face confused and fear, something she had never really seen from him, filled his eyes.

"He doesn't have a choice. I have a warrant and the law's the law Detective Chandler." He shut the back door on Vincent and opened the driver's side before turning back to her. "You of all people should know that." Without another word, the officer slipped into the car and shut the door. Catherine knew what he said was true, but it didn't feel right at all. She looked at Vincent through the window, her icy breath catching in the air. Her eyes begged him to escape, to break free of the cuffs and run but she knew he wouldn't. Vincent had changed. And in that moment she wished he hadn't.

All she could do was stand on the sidewalk and watch as the squad car drove off with the man she loved. It took all of a minute for Catherine to snap back and act. She pulled the cell phone from her coat pocket and speed-dialed Tess. The phone rang for an eternity, at least that is what it felt like to Catherine.

"Hello?" A groggy Tess answered.

"Tess, it's Cat." She paused, the words unable to come out. Once she said them, then that was it; they'd be real.

"Cat? You still there?"

"Vincent's been arrested…for murder."

"Wait, what? When and who?"

"This morning. A detective McCauley at the 95th and few swat officers came by a few minutes ago and took him. They arrested him for the murder of Curt Windsor. I don't' why any of this is happening and why now?" Just as those words left her mouth, her eyes glanced down at the warrant still in her hand. "Tess, I gotta go. Meet me at the station. I'll be there soon. First there's someone I need to see."

"Cat, wait…" But she didn't answer her friend. She just ended the call and ran to her car determination and anger taking over any rational thought.

Tess sat up in the bed, still in shock over what her friend had just told her.

"Who was that?" JT grabbed his glasses off the nightstand and rolled over to face Tess. She looked at him, unsure of how to tell him. Tess decided blunt was the best and only way to do it.

"Get dressed. Vincent's in jail."

"Open up!" Catherine kept pounding on the apartment door. If he didn't hurry up and open it soon, Catherine was ready to kick it down.

"Coming. Hold on." Gabe turned the handle and opened the door. Catherine didn't wait; she just charged right in.

"Why Gabe? Why would you do this?"

"Do what? Do you even know what time it is? What happened?" Gabe had barely had his morning coffee and wasn't expecting any visitors, especially Catherine. Not after last night.

"I don't have time for this. I have to get down to the station and fix this mess. I just wanted to hear it from you." The look in her eyes was fierce and deadly. It caught Gabe off guard and in his mind he was grateful Catherine was not a beast, because she sure looked like she wanted to rip his throat out.

"Look, Catherine. I really have no idea what you're talking about."

"Vincent. You had him arrested for murdering Curt Windsor. The warrant was signed by your office, like I wouldn't figure it out it was you. What you couldn't stand to see me with him?" She tossed the paper on the kitchen counter. Gabe swallowed and picked up the warrant. His eyes traced over the words and the signature at the bottom.

"I didn't have anything to do with this you have to believe me. I was here the whole night you can check the security feed."

"You said you'd never let him hurt me. Was this your way of doing that?" Catherine's face was slowly shifting from anger to sadness. Her eyes started to glisten and she tried her best to keep herself together.

"Catherine, just think about it for a minute. Why would I have Vincent arrested for murder especially Curt Windsor's murder. If you remember I was there too. It was my idea to flat line him. I am just as much a part it as you or him."

Catherine took a minute and let it all sink in as the anger and rage she had a moment ago started to fade. The gravity of everything that had just happened started to bring her back down to earth and crushed every part of her.

Gabe reached his hand forward to comfort her but she pulled back.

"Don't touch me." The words just came out. Catherine didn't need a reassuring gesture or another man's touch. Her body still burned from the memory of last night and she wanted to hold onto that as long as she could. Just in case it was the last time.

Gabe pulled his hand back, afraid to do anything else that might make things worse and softly spoke,

"Just tell me what I can do." Catherine looked up at him, the anger and determination coming back.

"You can get dressed, go down to your office and see what the hell is going on."

Vincent stared out the window and into the East River as the squad car drove across the bridge to Riker's Island. His eyes remained fixated on the calm waters, as if lost in their muddy blue and green tones. It was distracting him from seeing the reality of his situation. A painful truth he didn't want to admit, not yet.

The flash of the camera was bright, but Vincent really didn't notice. His entire body had gone numb and nothing felt right anymore.

"Turn and face the left." Another flash, each one making this all the more real. "Okay this way." The officer grabbed Vincent by the arm escorted him to the get fingerprinted. A formality, since his prints were already in the system. He kept his face stoic and hard, but all the while inside fighting his more innate instincts.

It wasn't until he stood in his cell, with the orange jumpsuit and watched as the bars slid across and lock, that everything became real.

Caged; and this time, possibly, for good.

(Okay, I know this chapter was not a happy one, but it was important to start the story. There are a lot of twists to work out but hope to update soon. And just remember…not everything is black and white or as it seems to be…)


	2. Chapter 2: Heart to Heart

**The Tell-Tale Heart**

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN THE SHOW, THE CHARACTERS, OR THE EPISODE. JUST BORROWING THEM FOR THE STORY.**

**Chapter 2: Heart to Heart**

Gabe pulled the wide end of the tie through and adjusted the knot until he could feel the fabric tighten against his throat. It was nothing more than an expensive silk noose, he thought, maybe even one he deserved. He stood in front of the standing mirror in his room and stared blankly into it. Somewhere in the reflection was a man, but all he could see were the events of last night that had led him here…

_Night of the Masquerade…_

It was a long and lonely walk back up to the apartment for the young ADA. Gabe turned the key in the lock and just stood there for a minute. He had fought for so long to have Catherine be a part of his life, did everything she asked, and still it wasn't enough. The raw emotion and the sting of defeat were weighing heavy on his mind. Gabe took a deep breath, exhaled and opened the door.

The place was dark, cold and empty; just another reminder of the current state of his heart. He threw the mask on the kitchen counter and unbuttoned his coat. The only thing he wanted to do now was jump in a hot shower and wash away what was left of this night.

He turned toward his room when a light in the living room flicked on. Gabe stared at the man sitting in his chair, shock and confusion written all over his face.

"Hello, Gabe." A smile formed on the man's lips. He was perfectly comfortable sitting there as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

"District Attorney Simon? What are you doing here?" Gabe placed his keys on the counter and just eyed his boss. Something was definitely not right. He was dressed in a very expensive tux just like the one Gabe had on, with one little exception; a circular gold pin was fastened to his lapel.

"Did you have a nice time at the party?" Simon stood up and straightened out his coat.

"Uh, yes. You were there as well?" The slight crack in Gabe's voice was very apparent especially to the DA who was used to breaking down suspects on the stand.

"Of course I was and I'm guessing from the look on your face you know exactly why I was there. So let's stop all the pretense." He bent over the coffee table and picked up a folder.

"You're one of them aren't you?" Gabe backed up a little as his boss came closer toward him.

"Why do you think I hired you Gabriel? Sure your record was good, excellent even, but that had nothing to do with it. You were a pawn; a bargaining chip if you will."

"For what?"

"Well you and your little friends really went and messed things up for us and we can't have that. Obviously, I'm not going to prosecute myself." Gabe's blood began to boil as the realization of his boss being one of the very people who experimented on him as a child began to sink in. He trusted this man, looked up to him, and he was betrayed by him.

"You won't get away with this. Sam will testify…"

"Don't worry about Sam. You should be more concerned about yourself."

"Why?" DA Simon placed the file he held on the counter and opened it. Gruesome pictures of Curt Windsor's mangled body were staring right up at him along with an autopsy report and DNA labs.

"I didn't do that." Gabe quickly replied.

"No, but you were there and we know you helped cover it up. We've known for some time now. Just been keeping this trump card for a rainy day and that day has come."

"What do you want from me?"

"Right now, just some information. Starting with the whereabouts of Vincent Keller."

"Why would I tell you anything?"

"Because if you don't help us I will drag you and Ms. Chandler in and charge both of you with interference in a police investigation, disposal of human remains, conspiracy to commit murder… Do I need to continue?"

"No that's plenty." Gabe's head fell, his eyes once again returning to the photos on the counter. No matter how hard he tried, the beast part of his life was never going to let him go.

"So, it's your choice. Give us the beast and you and Ms. Chandler won't have to worry."

"After this, then we're done?"

"If only it were that simple. You work for me Gabriel and I'm the one calling the shots. In the future I will ask you to do something and you will without question or well, you know." He thought about his options and it seemed as if he had no other choice.

"If he's not at the boathouse, then he most likely will be Catherine Chandler's apartment."

"See, that wasn't so hard. You are doing the right thing Gabriel." Simon reached forward, patting Gabe's shoulder as he headed for the door. The right thing; Gabe didn't even know what that meant anymore.

_The Present…_

A knock came from the back door of the precinct locker room. Tess looked around to make sure no one else was coming in and went back to unlock it. "Cat what's going on?"

"What's going on is everything is falling apart." Catherine hurried over to her locker and pulled out the spare street clothes she kept in there. She quickly changed while Tess continued.

"Look, I know this can't be easy but you have to keep a level head. It isn't going to do Vincent any good if you go in there, guns blazing. Do you have any idea who's behind this?"

"I don't know. I thought it was maybe Gabe because we kind of broke up last night and he wasn't too happy about it, but I already confronted him. It wouldn't make sense for him to incriminate Vincent. He was part of it too."

"So who does that leave?" Catherine sat down on the bench and pulled on her boots.

"Maybe they have been building a case for a while now. Maybe we weren't as careful as we thought. Or…"

"Or what?" Catherine pulled her hair back, wrapping it in a bun and out of her face.

"Maybe Sam was right about these people, about them being above the law. I don't know what to do Tess. Wait, Sam, where is he?"

"They took his statement here last night and then they transferred him to Riker's early this morning."

Catherine stood up, different scenarios running through her mind and not one of them was any good. "You don't think…" Tess' eyes widened, her thoughts matching the fear she saw in Catherine's face.

"I don't know what to think anymore, but I'm not taking any chances." She slammed the locker door shut and charged out of the room, Tess following close behind.

_Riker's Men's Jail: Protective Custody Sector_

"Get up Keller. You have a visitor." The guard said as he unlocked the cell door. Vincent sat up on the thin mattress.

"Who?" he asked a little curious.

"He says he's your lawyer. Come on, I don't have all day." The cell door slid across and Vincent stood up, obeying the guard's orders.

The man who had come to visit him was a lawyer, just not one with any intention of helping him…

(A lot of "Heart to Hearts" going on in this chapter, but it explained some things that were important. Will try to update soon! Hope you enjoyed it!)


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